According to IGN, Nintendo’s Switch 2 has crossed 10 million units sold, making it the biggest console launch ever in just six months. The new console has dramatically outperformed both the original Switch, which sold 4.7 million in its first six months, and the PlayStation 5, which moved 7.8 million units in the same timeframe. Nintendo has raised its hardware forecast and now expects to sell 19 million units by the end of March 2026. In other Nintendo news, the U.S. Patent Office is reexamining Nintendo’s ‘summon character and let it fight’ Pokémon patent, which could impact its lawsuit against Palworld developer Pocketpair. Meanwhile, Microsoft has revealed its Game Pass Wave 1 offerings for November, with Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 leading the charge as expected.
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<h2 id="switch-2-dominance”>Absolute Market Domination
Let’s be real here – these numbers are absolutely insane. The Switch 2 isn’t just beating its predecessor, it’s crushing it by more than double. And it’s not just beating the PS5 either – it’s leaving Sony’s launch numbers in the dust. What’s fascinating is that Nintendo managed this during what should have been a tougher market environment with higher console prices and more competition from PC gaming and mobile. Basically, Nintendo proved once again that when they get the hardware and software combination right, nobody can touch them.
The Competitive Fallout
So where does this leave Sony and Microsoft? In a pretty tough spot, honestly. Sony’s already struggling with first-party game droughts and Microsoft is basically betting everything on Game Pass as a service. Now Nintendo comes along and shows that traditional console sales can still break records. The real question is whether this success is sustainable. Can Nintendo keep this momentum going through 2025 and hit that 19 million target? Given the current trajectory, it seems likely – which means Sony and Microsoft need to seriously rethink their strategies.
Nintendo’s Legal Headache
Here’s the thing about that patent reexamination – this could be huge for the gaming industry. Nintendo has been notoriously aggressive with its IP protection, and that ‘summon character and let it fight’ patent is at the heart of their case against Palworld. If the patent office invalidates or narrows that patent, it basically pulls the rug out from under Nintendo’s lawsuit. And let’s be honest – the gaming community has been pretty divided about whether Palworld actually infringes on Pokémon or just borrows concepts that should be fair game. This reexamination might finally settle that debate.
Microsoft’s Counterplay
Meanwhile, Microsoft is doing what Microsoft does best – using its massive war chest to bolster Game Pass. Putting Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 on the service day one is a massive move, but it’s also becoming expected at this point. The real story is whether Game Pass can actually compete with the sheer hardware momentum that Nintendo has built. I’m not convinced it can. Game Pass is great for existing Xbox owners, but it doesn’t seem to be driving console sales the way Nintendo’s exclusive lineup is driving Switch 2 adoption. Different strategies, wildly different results.
